I have both. Well, should say I did have both but tomorrow I ship out the last of my Renegades - sold to a new owner out west. I am only using Scoot boots now, so the Renegades were just taking up space.
Why the change? Well, I started with Gloves which were fine for the carriage driving ponies but sucked for riding and Endurance training. They came off at the drop of any stressful work, and the gaiters sucked because they ripped so easily. Then I moved to Renegades, liked them so much more, and ended up with 4 sets. Used them hard for Endurance conditioning, but still shod for Endurance because the Renegades weren’t trustworthy to stay on when used on the OD trails. Will say the horse always moved beautifully in the Renegades.
After a few years I was tired of the Velcro giving way, tired of worrying about when the next set of cables would break (which they did at the worst possible time - once while climbing up a mountain (both boots!!!), twisting, debris being caught up in the toe area, and being more apt to be flung off at speeds once they softened with age. They were noisy but tough, and I think the sole was more resiliant than the Scoots. Trim cycle didn’t seem to matter to the boot fit unless the trim was way overdue. Horses moved nicely in them. Renegades didn’t come in a small size for the driving ponies, however. That was a negative to buying more of them.
When Scoots came along I was interested, but didn’t get a pair until the following year. Fell in love with them instantly, and now have full sets for all three of my ponies and for my endurance horse. (Which equates to about $370 per equine, so you do the math as to my investment). I love the colors, the choice of sizes (all the way down to 000 for my 13h driving pony), choice of fits (regular or slim) the wide open design that lets air/water out, EASY to put on and take off, NO CABLES, NO WIRES, NO VELCRO. Changing over the toe tabs to colorful ones is a breeze, as is the pastern strap. You can “modify” the fit with shims, and their breakover at the toe is excellent. I have found the sole does transmit a bit more of the harshness of the ground if the horse is freshly trimmed short, so I have started using rim pads inside the boot (at least for a week after I trim) to lift the foot slightly - which works perfectly. ALL my horses and ponies moved beautifully in these boots. I also have their Skins which are a glue on. LOVE THEM!!! The first pair I glued on (front feet only) stayed on 10 weeks, and my mare’s feet looked fabulous when I finally took them off because she was overdue for a trim. Again, the open air design allowed her foot to remain healthy as well as fully protected. PLUS the glue ons can be cleaned and reused again (let me tell you it was a major PITA getting the boots off the foot first - that glue was NOT about to release from her hoof wall without a fight, even after 10 weeks - then dremmeling the old super hard glue out of the shell, but at least it can be reused again unlike all the other glue on boots out there. And at $80 a pop for a pair, you can beat your sweet petunia I’m going to reuse them more than once). The strap ons sometimes are a touch noisy at times on the roads (they can slap at times) but not nearly as much as the Renegades which REALLY slap 100% of the time due to their design.
Regarding wear on the boot sole - I’d say both Scoots and Renegades are about equal. Surface factors play a lot into wear, and mine are mostly driving/ridden on gravel roads, so wear is accelerated over someone who rides just grassy fields and arena work.
After 40 years of doing my own farrier work, I no longer want to swing a hammer and draw nails (even when a damaged rotator cuff and an aging back allows me to do so) except when absolutely necessary. Trimming my gang of four is enough work for my back and shoulder to handle as it is, but at least I can pick away at it weekly without it becoming a major deal every 6-8 weeks. So I’m vested in finding the best alternatives to hoof protection for my horses and ponies who are used a fair amount recreationally under saddle and in harness - and right now the Scoot boots (both strap on and glue ons) are top on my list.
Would I use a boot on the OD trail? That trail is rock hell, so I’d only do the glue ons, not the strap ons. There was one rider last year at one of the OD rides that did have the strap on Scoots (on front?) AND the Renegades (on back?) and she did great. But she went very slowly. On a flat ride I’d happily use either in a heartbeat, but would opt for the Scoots over the Renegades because of ease, simplicity, promoting excellent movement, and ability to stay on better due to more options of specialized fitting to the hoof.
Hope this helps.
